A Rose among Thorns
by AlinaStarkov12
Summary: Briar Wood is a daughter of Demeter at Camp-Half Blood. Everything seems to be wrong. Kronos is rising, her best friend is distant and Briar's growing powers seem to indicate that she has a role to play in the war. And when everything topples over the edge, will she be able to set it right? Takes place around the Battle of the Labyrinth and Last Olympian. Hope you enjoy! :)


**Hi! This is my first fanfiction and I hope you like it! I will try to update a couple times a week. Please reveiw. :) Hope you enjoy!**

I was up at dawn. Again. The cloud dotted sky was brushed with pastel pink, orange and red, and the rising sun shone light upon the numerous strawberry plants. I stood on the front porch of Cabin 4, amongst the twisted vines and flower stems that wrapped around the Greek style columns. Cabin 4 was for the children of Demeter, and we liked to show off our ability to manipulate and grow plants. The roof was covered in green grass, below every window sat potted flowers, and the inside contained a giant oak tree as structural support.

I had been having nightmares ever since Kronos's forces had marched through the Labyrinth and into Camp Half-Blood. I didn't fear another attack, I feared...Well many things. I was scared for my best friend, Frankie O'Tenner son of Hermes, as he had several times now expressed interest in Kronos's side of the war. I was scared for Demeter and all of the Gods. What if we failed them and Kronos won? But most of all I was scared for me. Most off-springs of Demeter had the power to control plants among other nature related talents, as did I. But more recently I had noticed that I was stronger than most of my other siblings. At first it was fine. Only visible in the smallest of ways, such as the vibrancy in color of my roses or the slightly faster rates of which my plants grew.

But a week ago today I had completely lost control. It was in the heat of battle, Kronos's forces pressing against the boundaries of Camp-Half Blood. I stood separated from the other campers against a white birch tree, surrounded by a group of demi-gods. They were the ones who supported Kronos and the reason he was returning. They were who I feared Frankie would turn into. My twin fighting daggers were drawn, and my legs stood in a defensive position. Their leader, the one with an eye-patch lunged and I parried, but he was too fast and his sword cut a thin line of red on my cheek. Everything slowed. The glistening ruby of blood hung in mid air, and I felt as if I was surrounded in syrup, unable to properly move. Kronos was slowing time. There and then, something clicked inside of me.

Fight or die, a voice that was not my own had spoken in my head. I think it had been my mother's. All of a sudden, I could feel the tiny pinpricks of life that was the grass. The presence of the grand birch tree, all knowing and watching. For maybe a second, I marveled at the power that was nature. It was so protective of those in it's kingdom yet the most powerful and fiercest thing alive. And it was mine to control. I remember letting lose a guttural scream of rage, time returning back to it's normal pace and unleashing nature's fury. A wall of thorns and brambles appeared slamming into the demi-gods and sending them flying. I turned to the general direction of the fighting and pushed the thorns forward, somehow knowing that it wouldn't hurt those on my side. It dodged and twisted around the demi-gods of Camp-Half Blood but speared and impaled monsters, turning them into nothing more than dust.

Cries and screams filled the air as Kronos's minions realized what was happening. I stood had there, in shock. It was me controlling the brambles, me driving off the forces that threatened my home.

"Retreat!" Roared a voice, and what remained of the army ran back towards the cave that held the entrance to the Labyrinth. Soon the army was gone, and all that remained was a lone person standing at the edge of the cave. He had sandy blonde hair, and a scar ran down the left side of his face. And golden eyes. I knew he was Kronos, and before that he had been known as Luke Castellan. He casually looked at the destruction he had caused and the thorns I had created.

"Watch your back, demi-gods." He gave a crooked smile, and made eye contact with someone in the crowd. Then he looked straight at me. His eyes looked like molten gold orbs without any humanity, but they surveyed me with interest. Something in his eyes displayed a clear message- Especially you. I felt a sharp pain in my side and realized that one of my own thorns had embedded itself there. Crying out, I looked back up to find that Kronos was gone. I felt fear, anger and pain. Before I knew it the wall of brambles had started moving, ensnaring anyone who stood in its way. I willed it to stop...But I couldn't. I glanced desperately around, eyes locking with Chiron.

"Briar! You have to control it," he yelled, over the chaos.

"I-I can't" I screamed. I closed my eyes and trying to find the source of the power and shut it off. I was too weak from the pain from my side and the fear Kronos had left me with. I had felt a dull blow on the back of my head and fell down, unconscious.

The blow I had felt on my head was Travis Stoll, who had snuck up behind me when he realized that I wasn't going to get it under control any time soon. The wound in my side had been deep, but it had missed vital organs and arteries. And thankfully no-one had been hurt by my brief and unintentional attack, but many campers, -including my siblings-had steered clear of me since. Frankie too, which made me feel an aching loneliness.

The chirping of the birds suddenly snapped me out of my flashback. The sounds of soft chatter coming from inside made me realize that I should probably get ready for the day. I opened the door, and walked in. The giant tree wasn't the only earthy themed decor in the cabin. Flowers and plants grew on almost every surface, and sometimes I felt like I was in a bizzare greenhouse. My bunk was in a quiet nook of the room and on the wall above the bed I had spelled out my name in various plants. Katie Gardner approached. She was the head counselor of Cabin Four and shared the tell-tale brown hair and eyes of children of Demeter. Katie had always been nice to me, although now she seemed nervous.

"Hi Briar." She spoke softly, the way a veterinarian would speak to a frightened or injured animal. I supposed she had the right too.

"Hello Katie." I replied, keeping my tone even. Katie normally is...stern to say the least. The lack of that right now was concerning.

"I'm sorry...But I have some bad news." Katie had sympathy in her eyes, and she seemed on the verge of tears. I felt my spine stiffen.

"What?" I whispered. Anxiety constricted my chest, making it hard to breath. "It's Frankie, isn't it?"

When Katie nodded, I felt dread. This wasn't happening, it couldn't be. But it made sense. He had and perhaps still did look up to his half brother, Luke. Frankie had told me that he felt that children of Hermes were taken for granted and thought to be a weaker demi-god than the rest. So were children of Demeter.

"What happened? Did he leave to join Kronos?" Those questions had burst out of me. I suddenly needed answers, proof that this wasn't my fault.

"We don't know" Katie admitted. "And I am sorry that this happened. But he left you a note." I felt numb now as Katie handed me the note and I opened it with shaking fingers and read it.

_Briar,_

_You've always known how much I hated the gods. And when I finally got my chance to destroy them, I took it._

_-Frankie_

_P.S Kronos is hunting you down. I would say stay safe...But I honestly don't want you to._


End file.
